Grilled Argentine Chorizo over Corn-Quinoa Pasta

Last week I shared our love for 100% corn pasta, today I want to share with you a recipe for a corn-quinoa pasta we recently discovered. (You can read all about corn pasta here and for quinoa facts read this piece.) Actually, this recipe has two new ingredients in my kitchen: Argentine chorizo sausage and the corn-quinoa pasta. Have you ever tasted this type of chorizo? It is completely different than both Mexican and Spanish chorizo. For starters, the Argentine version is pink coloured and lacking the red colour that the other two have as a result of the addition of paprika or ground chiles. Additionally the one from Argentina (like it’s Mexican counterpart) is raw and typically grilled before being served — either inside a bread roll or just a a grilled meat dish, or in various other ways. The first time we tasted Argentine chorizo was at a local Argentinian restaurant here in Playa, where we had it inside corn tortillas as tacos. My husband and I found the taste to be quite delicious. It isn’t as complex as Mexican chorizo but it is very flavour.

Because we both love the corn pasta and also really like quinoa, we were very curious to give it a try. Though we both like this mixed pasta we found the taste to be milder than the 100% corn version. If you read through my tips about the corn pasta you’ll see that I mention keeping a very close eye on the boiling pasta, you’ll want to do the same for this one. I hovered over the boiling pot and took several tests before draining. As for the rest of the ingredients mixed into the pasta, I kept it very simple. I like my pastas light and simple. All I added was olive oil, lots of minced garlic, juice from a lime and some finely chopped cilantro. The flavours were delicious and worked perfectly with the Argentinian chorizo and mild tasting pasta.

Below is your ingredients list to this super easy and fast to prepare meal.

1 package of corn-quinoa pasta (I used this brand and this much: 227gm or 8 oz)

1small lime, juiced

6 garlic cloves, minced

1 large handful of fresh cilantro (I use the leaves and stems too)

olive oil

fine sea salt, to taste

Instructions

Please have all of the ingredients ready to use as this recipe moves fast. Heat a pot of water, with a splash of oil and a pinch of salt and allow it to come to a boil while covered. While you're waiting for the water to boil: heat a non-stick frying pan and add the sausage. Fry the sausage until cooked through, discard excess oil and set frying pan aside. Once the water has boiled add the pasta and cook according to package ingredients. Drain and set aside.

Push the cooked sausages to one side of the frying pan and turn heat back on. Add a splash of olive oil then add the garlic and sauté until they are soft and cooked through. Next add the lime juice, salt and mix the garlic and sausage well for 2 minutes. Remove the sausage from the pan, then gently add the cooked pasta. Gently mix in the cilantro and stir until the garlic and cilantro are well incorporated into the pasta. (My pasta fell apart, but it was still large pieces that tasted great.) Lastly plate the pasta and place as many sausages on top as desired. Serve with salad and wine.

Notes

• A thing I like to do when it comes to sausage is make small incisions throughout it before placing on a flat grill or frying pan. this allows the fat to flow out as the sausage cooks. Once cooked through I discard all of the excess fat.

• If you do not like cilantro feel free to replace it with fresh parsley.

The meal was a hit! It was filling but light enough to not make us feel weighted down by the food in this summer heat. I am looking forward to experimenting some more with the Argentinian chorizo. This recipe sounds great!

This chorizo must be so delicious and flavorful, so keeping the pasta simple is a wonderful idea. And I have to check out this corn and quinoa pasta! Love learning about new ingredient and I’m curious… :)